Chapter 422
Shiyao clearly felt his heart sinking slowly, throat tightening until he could barely breathe.
Moments later, he distinctly heard Alarieka’s response.
When Shiyao heard Alarieka’s answer, he wished his hearing weren’t so sharp–wished he hadn’t caught her words so clearly.
But he’d asked the question himself. Hurting as he was, he truly needed to know.
Alarieka said: “Yes.”
Shiyao’s heart plummeted instantly.
Shiyao opened his mouth, voice trapped in his throat, staring dumbly at Alarieka for an eternity.
The terrifying truth he’d dreaded finally solidified in his mind.
After a long pause, Shiyao forced out: “…So that’s how it was? Then you two-”
“No,” Alarieka cut in briskly. “Nothing between us. Never dated, never crossed that line. My feelings were ancient history. Stop imagining things.”
Shiyao couldn’t relax, forcing a weak joke: “Good. Didn’t let him take advantage.”
Silence filled the car. Shiyao didn’t know how to process this. Jed waxing Marika, once loving Kieran... picturing them living... how could you at the Agents... going through things he’d never... none of it had ever happened?
Now he couldn’t deny the Agents had helped Alarieka tremendously in those years after everything fell apart; that support had been...
Alarieka spoke: “What’s that look? Like you’ve seen a ghost.” She gazed at him, eyes dark with barely concealed sorrow. "Since when did Shiyao look like this?"
She frowned slightly. “Shiyao, what’s wrong?”
Shi Yao took a deep breath, the loneliness in his eyes vanishing instantly. He parted his lips, resuming his careless demeanor, and said half jokingly, “I just think your taste is awful. You could even fall for Kieran, yet you don’t notice a handsome guy like me standing right in front of you?"
Alarieka was momentarily speechless.
As expected, Shi Yao remained unchanged—just as infuriating and unbearably arrogant. Her concern had been unnecessary.
Alarieka shot him a glare before turning to exit the car.
Shi Yao suddenly grabbed her wrist, urgency in his tone: “Where are you going?”
Alarieka sighed: “The car broke down. I’m checking it out. What did you think I was doing?”
Shi Yao could still see the man standing there in his peripheral vision. He said: “I’ll come with you.”
Alarieka pulled her wrist free from Shi Yao’s grip: “Suit yourself.”
After Alarieka turned away, Shi Yao swiftly glanced toward Kieran’s direction.
Kieran remained standing there.
Though the car had clearly stopped before him and the restaurant waiter had opened its door, Kieran refused to enter, his gaze still fixed here.
Shi Yao’s sense of danger instantly surged. He immediately followed Alarieka out of the car.
It was still summer, the scorching sun blazing overhead. The assistant stood under the sunlight, sweat beading on his forehead and soaking his back. He murmured: “Mr. Argent, the meeting starts in an hour.”
Kieran gave no response.
The assistant clearly felt the pressure, exchanging a helpless glance with the waiter. The assistant followed Kieran’s line of sight.
His eyes abruptly froze.
Alarieka had gotten out, accompanied by a strikingly handsome young man. Before Alarieka’s car stood a middle-aged man in a suit. He lifted the hood, bending to examine something inside. Alarieka and the young man approached together, quietly asking a few questions.
That young man…
More sweat trickled down the assistant’s forehead.
He knew exactly who this young man was–he’d appeared repeatedly in the investigation reports. Shi Yao, heir to the Shi family, with exceptional background and education. Since graduating at nineteen, he’d stayed by Alarieka’s side for five full years. In every report documenting Alarieka’s departure from the Argent family and Shanghai, this man featured prominently.